The Stills' first album, Logic Will Break Your Heart, traded in the kind of dark majesty that drew them endless comparisons to fellow goth-y rockers, Interpol. The resemblances were there for all to see; a love of both Joy Division and Echo & The Bunnymen, black clothing, a streak of doomed romanticism. It hampered what was actually a pretty decent record from getting the attention it deserved.
Thankfully, The Stills have stepped out from the shadows with their second full-length. Without Feathers is a lighter, peppier affair than its predecessor, but one that suffers from a lack of cohesion and an unwillingness to fully embrace the boldness the songs hint at, in favour of striking a middle ground between the blackened opulence of old and their newfound bent towards a brighter outlook.
The album starts out well enough, with both 'In The Beginning' and 'The Mountain' showing enough of a flair for exuberant optimism, but all too often and mostly always when you feel they're about to really take off, as in the doo-wop sway of 'Halo The Harpoon', they cop out and lapse into trad, indie-rock stereotypes. There are odd moments of sanguine clarity, like the E-Street-meets-Arcade Fire bluster of 'It Takes Time', but they are counterbalanced by dropped balls like the could've-been-great-if-they'd-really-fucking-gone-for-it, 'Oh Shoplifter'.
Without Feathers is a flawed, but heartening attempt to forge a new direction from a band who could have easily just released a facsimile of their debut. If they learn how to ignore their more conservative urges then they really could be something special.
http://www.highvoltage.org.uk/displaydemoreview.asp?num=2675&band=1711
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